Intermittent administration of prebiotics might be an alternative to dietary restrictions for patients with functional gut symptoms, researchers report in the October issue of Gastroenterology. A diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols (low-FODMAP diet) reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and patients with gas-related symptoms can significantly

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) provides accurate 3-dimensional images of inflammed intestine of mice with colitis, researchers show in a Gastroenterology in Motion article and video in the October issue of Gastroenterology. The authors demonstrate use of the technology to analyze migration of human T cells in colons of mice with colitis. Improved techniques are

Bacterial encroachment—shrinking of the bug-free zone adjacent to the colonic epithelium—is a feature of metabolic syndrome, researchers report in the September issue of Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The findings could explain the relationship between diabetes and inflammation. Mucoid structures that coat the epithelium keep the intestinal microbiota at

More patients receive a diagnosis of a mood or anxiety disorder before diagnosis of a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID), researchers report in the July issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The findings indicate opportunities for prevention and support the role of adverse socioeconomic factors in development of FGIDs in patients

Specific groups of intestinal microbes can boost the anti-tumor effects of cancer immunotherapies in mice, researchers show. Cancer immunotherapies that block immune inhibitory pathways have been tested in patients with several tumor types, but responses have varied. A study published in Science, while not the first to link gut microbes

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) do not have a large effect on microbial diversity of the colon, but do affect specific taxa, including Streptococcaceae and Enterococcaceae, which mediate resistance to Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), researchers report in the October issue of Gastroenterology. This finding might provide a mechanism by which these drugs increase risk for CDI.

Food additives commonly used to thicken and stabilize processed foods disrupt the intestinal microbiota to cause inflammation, researchers found in a study of mice. Emulsifiers are added to foods to hold together mixtures of fat and water, which would otherwise separate. Healthy mice fed a diet containing commonly used emulsifiers (1%

Gut commensal bacteria survive inflammation by making a simple switch to their protective coats, researchers show. When harmful microbes like salmonella infect the gut, the innate immune system produces antimicrobial peptides to kill them. But these pathogenic microbes are often similar to the commensal microbes that live in the gut—it was

Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts the intestinal microbiota to reduce production of saturated long-chain fatty acids and subsequently the proportion and functions of hepatoprotective lactobacilli, Peng Chen et al report in the January issue of Gastroenterology. Dietary approaches to restore levels of saturated fatty acids in the intestine might therefore reduce ethanol-induced liver injury in patients with

Gastroenterology is proud to present a special issue devoted to ‘The Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease’. The human body contains over 10 times more microbial cells than human cells. This microbiome (the commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms that share our body space) maintains the health and function of many

About the Author

Dr. Kristine Novak is the science editor for Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. She has worked as an editor at biomedical research journals and as a science writer for 15 years, covering advances in gastroenterology, hepatology, cancer, immunology, biotechnology, molecular genetics, and clinical trials. She has a PhD in cell biology and an interest in all areas of medical research.